Acts 24:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

NIV: and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

NASB: having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

CSB: I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous.

NLT: I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous.

KJV: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

NKJV: I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.

Paul, ever clever, is aligning himself under the umbrella of his accusers to defeat their claims against them. They have called him "a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes" (Acts 24:5), assuming Governor Felix will identify Paul's beliefs as a religion that is not Judaism and not sanctioned by Roman law. To spread the teaching of a faith system that does not have permission from the Empire was illegal.

Sidestepping this, at least in the eyes of Roman law, Paul confesses he follows Judaism in a slightly different Way. His beliefs are those taught by the Nazarene Jesus, yet he still worships the same God and believes the same Scriptures (Acts 24:14). The only applicable charge they can make against him—the only time he stirred up a "riot" (Acts 24:5) in Felix's jurisdiction—started when he stood before this same Sanhedrin and called out that he believes in the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees, who don't share that belief, became indignant; the Pharisees, who do, came to Paul's defense. The two sides fell to blows (Acts 23:6–10).

Paul's accusers include the high priest and some of the elders (Acts 24:1). The high priest is a Sadducee, as are most of the Sanhedrin. But some members are Pharisees, and it is to these that Paul refers.

This is the only place in the Bible where Paul states the unrighteous will be resurrected. His belief that the righteous will rise is well documented (1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Philippians 3:20–21). That the unjust are also resurrected means the doctrine of annihilationism—that those who reject Jesus will be completely destroyed—is not accurate (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:13–15).

Acts 24:10–21 is Paul's defense against the Sanhedrin's testimony before Governor Felix. The Sanhedrin's lawyer has accused Paul of starting riots and trying to profane the temple (Acts 24:5–6). Paul points out they have no proof and no witnesses. The issue is about the fact that he follows Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and believes in the resurrection of the dead. Felix, who knows quite a bit about Christianity, understands, but he doesn't want to upset the Jewish leaders, so he keeps Paul in custody for the remainder of his term (Acts 24:27).

Acts 24 covers Paul's trial before Governor Felix. The Sanhedrin claim he is a menace and a cult leader who tried to desecrate the temple. Paul explains the real conflict: he believes in the resurrection of the dead and the Sadducees don't. Felix knows the charges are spurious but doesn't want to upset Jewish leaders. He holds Paul under house arrest, hoping Paul will offer him money and make the inconvenience worth his while.

Acts 24 is a transition period for Paul from freedom to captivity. For several years, he has traveled around Judea, Syria, modern-day Turkey, Macedonia, and Greece, spreading the good news about Jesus' offer of salvation. Through a series of misunderstandings and outright lies, he is now in custody in Caesarea Maritima. He will remain there for two years before demanding his case be sent to Caesar (Acts 25:11). Once he arrives in Rome, he will spend another two years in custody (Acts 28:30). Despite his confinement, his message will reach a king and the household of Nero.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.